Multiple ventilating system



"VI 23, W44.

E. s. KEMMER ETAL MULTIPLE VENTILATING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 17, 1939 3! 3,5 M E. s. KEMMER ETAL MULTIPLE VENTILATING' SYSTEM Filed Nov. 17, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mum m NM: 5% mxow A sm M f? um fW Patented May 23, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MULTIPLE. VENTILATING SYSTEM Eugene S. Kemmer and John E. Titus, La Fayette, and William K. Oyler, West Lafayette, Ind.

12 Claims.

This invention relates to an air conditioning arrangement for building structures.

It is primarily intended to ventilate a dead air space, such as an attic arrangement when desired, and also when desired, to cool the floor or floors, below said attic.

The chief object of the invention is to provide a construction which is capable of ventilation in either manner, as desired, and which is automatically controlled so as to function in either manner when certain control conditions, as to time and temperature, for example, are attained.

Another object of the invention is to provide a single structural arrangement capable of functioning in either manner as above indicated.

The chief feature of the invention consists in the provision of a compartment having an outlet opening at one end and at one side and a plurality of closure controlled inlet openings offset therefrom and at the opposite end and one of which is upon what might be said to constitute an opposite side.

Another chief feature of the invention consists in the control arrangement whereby the aforesaid automatic selective action is obtained.

Other objects and features will beset forth more fully hereinafter.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View through a conventional representation of an attic structure with a portion of the invention applied thereto, it being noted the lower central sectional portion of the apparatus shown in this figure is not a true vertical section, but is taken on a broken plane as will more fully hereinafter appear and which will be obvious from an examination of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of themajor portion of the apparatus other than the controls.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2 and in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and in the direction of the arrows, the full lines showing the closures or door structures in closed position and the dotted lines illustrating the same in the open position relative to the lower floor.

Fig. 5 is a diagram of wiring connection and control apparatus whereby the mechanical portions of the invention are automatically controlled as time and temperature requirements dictate.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, It indicates the end Walls of a building structure, a lower floor arrangement compartment being indicated by the numeral II, and separated from the same by a combination floor and ceiling structure i2, is an attic arrangement I3 formed by the rafters l4 and roofing material l5. Opposite ends I6 of the attic include openings IT and these openings are patrially closed by outwardly and downwardly inclined slots [8 in spaced relation for water and snow shedding purposes. The outer portion of this opening I7 is closed by one or more screen arrangements l9 which offers a material obstruction to the passage of water and snow unless the same be directly driven thereagainst, in which event the same will be trapped by the slats or louver arrangement l8 and shed downwardly and outwardly so that the interior of the attic is protected against these elements, yet the interior of the attic is ventilated since air passage through openings I1 is relatively unrestricted.

Preferably centrally between these openings l'l, although not necessarily so positioned but positioned as reasonably close to a central point as possible, having due regard for the construction of the building, there is provided a well arrangement having two end walls and two side walls 2| which may be said to be divided into two parts. A cover 22 closes the compartment or well arrangement thus formed with the floor l2. The cover at one end is provided with a circular aperture 23. The combined floor and ceiling I2 forming the bottom of this well or compartment, is apertured as at 24, this aperture being closed by a suitable grate or grillage 25 providing communication through the well or compartment between the attic and the floor therebelow.

A pair of doors 26 is arranged to normally seal the opening 24 resting, if desired, when closed, upon the grillage. The doors are hinged as at 2'! and centrally thereof are provided with anchorages 28 to which are connected flexible elements, such as the relatively non-extensible cables 23.

This cable 29 passes through an opening or aperture 30 in the adjacent side wall 2i. This opening 30see Fig. 3is normally closed by the adjacent door 26 when elevated. This cable 29 then passes over a pulley arrangement 3! mounted on brackets 32 suitably supported upon the adjacent side wall 2l-see Figs. 2 and 4. The cable thence passes upwardly to the pulley 33 supported by brackets 34 carried by the top or cover 22. The cable then passes about a pulley 35 rotatably supported upon member 36 suitably supported or secured to the top 22.

The two cables 29 of the two door structures are extendedsee Fig. 5and are connected through slack adjusting means, such as turnbuckles 37, or the like, to a single-tree 38, in turn connected to a rod or link member 39. Thus, longitudinal movement of the rod 39see Fig. 5 and in the downward direction in this figurewill cause opening or upward movement of the doors upon their hinge supports 21.

Herein two openings 38 are provided in the opposite side walls 2| and these openings constitute intake openings for attic ventilation only, being normally open when the doors 2% close the ceiling intake opening 24 and being normally closed by the doors 26 when said ceiling opening 2&- is operative for lower floor ventilation.

As will be apparent from Fig. 4, in order to insure initial closing movement of the doors when the rod 39 is moved to the retracted position or the position closest to the pulleys 35, there is provided a tensioning member 40 which is in the form of a spring of V-shape anchored as at M to the inside of the member 21 adjacent the opening 3%! and to one side thereof and having its operative portion bearing upon the door when opened and being under a constraint when the door is fully opened. Thus, when the rod 39 is moved to the ceiling closing position, these springs overcome the friction of the cable on the pulleys and overcome the inertia of the doors in their upper position and any tendenc to lock in off or overcenter position and insure positive movement of said doors beyond the overcenter position so that gravity becomes effective thereon for closing of said doors for ceiling closing.

Suitable bumper means-not shown-may be interposed between the grillage and the doors so as to minimize the shock in this closing and to silence the same in closing. It is, of course, to be understood that the motion of the rod 39 is not a rapid one and, therefore, the cables are not released instantaneously from the full open position to the full closed position but this release is gradual and occupies several seconds. Hence, after the doors have been initially caused to move beyond the center so that gravity becomes effective thereon, the doors do not drop, as it were, but are lowered, the lowering operation being proportional to and regulated by the cable movement in the door movement to ceiling closing position.

Reference now will be had more particularly to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive. In these figures, it will be observed that the top 22 substantially intermediate its ends is provided with a bearing member 42. Parallel thereto and diametrically opposite the same with reference to the exhaust opening 23 is a similar bearing member 33. A crossmember M is suitably supported thereby for fan and motor support purposes.

This fan may be of the type conventionally employed in restaurants and is of the suspended motor type. In said Figs. 1, 3 and 5, it will be noted that the motor is indicated by the numeral 45 and thereabove is the propeller arrangement 56, the latter being rotatable with respect to the motor support structure 41, the latter being carried as at 48, in turn carried by the cross member 44.

The current supplied to the motor is supplied thereto in any usual manner and one method may be through the supports 41 and 48. Since structures of this kind are well known in the ventilating art, no detailed description of the same is believed necessary other than that hereinbefore set forth.

Basically, the operation is as follows:

Whenever it is desired to ventilate the attic and attic only, the doors 26 remain in the ceiling closing position as shown in Fig. 4 by the full lines, thereby opening openings 30 in walls 2|. Thereupon when the fan motor is energized, the fan draws air into the well or compartment through openings 36 and throws air out of the chamber through exhaust 23. This causes air movement in the attic and insures that the air circulates therein, the air being free to enter and leave the attic through the louvre arrangements at openings l1.

During the heat of the day in hot weather, the structure as thus described, functions automatically, the fan motor bein operated whenever the temperature of the air in the attic attains that for which a thermostat switch in the attic is set. This closes the motor circuit of the fan and the fan is operated and will operate just so long as the temperature of the air in the attic insures circuit closed relation by holding the thermostat switch closed. This is an automatic control for the fan motor and contrary to normal expectations, the positioning of the fan and the construction of the well is such that there is obtained therefrom a positive circulation of the air in the attic with the result that the temperature of the attic can be lowered to that of the outside air.

It is to be noted that the temperature of air in the attic if the air is relatively stagnant or trapped, will rise during the day higher than the outside air incident to the absorption of heat by the roof structure, such additional heat being transmitted to the air trapped in the attic by the roof. The present invention, therefore, to this extent insures that what heat normally is absorbed by and passes through the roof to the air in the attic is subsequently dissipated incident to air circulation in the attic, which is of positive character by reason of motor fan operation.

During the evenings when the outside air temperature is much cooler and it is desired to cool the bedrooms on the floor immediately below the attic and the main floor of the home, the windows of the various rooms may be opened and then with the door closures 26 elevated to open position and the motor fan energized, the fan will draw air from adjacent the ceiling of the story next to the attic and draw it through the well chamber, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 3, and discharge the same upwardly into the attic and the air finally passes outwardly through the louvered openings I I. The air drawn through the opening 24 is replaced by air obtained from the open windows, doors and like openings, thus the house and especially the upper floors thereof are cooled to that of the outside air temperature. As evidence of this action in actual practice, the curtains over the open Windows of a house equipped with such an installation are caused to move inwardly away from their normal vertical hanging position an amount approximately 12" to 18" at their free and lower ends. In some instances this drawing Of air from the upper story is of such suction character that it is necessary to block the bedroom doors leading to the hall so as to prevent those doors being closed by said suction.

It is to be understood the preferred position of the opening 24 is in a central hallway so that the air from all the floors and from all the rooms leading from the hallway on successive floors will be in operative relation for air movement therethrough so that all rooms will be cooled. Whenever one room is not desired to be cooled, all that is necessary is to close all of the outside openings, such as windows and/or doors and if desired, the door into the hall may also be closed but the same is not generally necessary.

This fan motor is controlled manually for the aforesaid operation or automatically. Automatically it may be energized whenever a thermostat in the hall below ther attic calls for energy. It may also be energized at a predetermined time and deenergized at a later time whevener a time operable switch, such as that known as a timeo-stat is employed.

Incorporated in the control system there i a signal for visually indicating whether or not the fan motor is energized and, therefore, operating, whether the doors 25 be opened or closed.

It also will be apparent that the attic thermostat control is in effect in multiple with the hall thermostat and/or the hall time-o-stat control.

Reference now will be had to Fig. wherein one form of connection and the aforesaid apparatus are diagrammatically illustrated. In said figure the numeral 58 represents one suppl main protected by a fuse BI and a line 52 therefrom leads to the motor 45. A line 53 therefrom leads to a terminal 54 of a switch structure, and a contacting member 65 of said switch structure is connected by a jumper 56 to a contact 61 and is connected in turn by line 88 to the other power line 69.

When the switch member I8 carryin the contacts 55 and 81 is in lowered position, current flows through the motor 45 for energizing same and. this circuit is the one which is responsive to the hall thermostat or the tlme-o-stat, as hereinafter described.

Connected to the line 63 is a line 7| which leads to the attic thermostat 12 including a temperature responsive switch member 73. When the temperature of the surrounding medium attains that for which this thermostat is adjusted, a circuit is closed by the member 13 to the line I4 connected to the contact 15, then normally engaged by the contact 65 of the movable switch member 15. This is the arrangement for attic ventilation with the doors closed, the circuit being as follows:

Line 55, fuse 5i, line 62, fan motor 45, line 63, line H, thermostat switch l3, line 14, contact 15, switch member contact 55, jumper 68, switch member contact 51, line 88, main 69.

Across the lines or mains 68 and .69, is the primary 75 of a transformer and adjacent thereto is the secondary IT thereof connected by a line I8 to one terminal 19 of a coil 88 for master switch operation. The other terminal 8| of the coil 88 is connected by line 82 to the junction 83 and thence by line 84 to the hall thermostat 85 having a switch member 85 therein adapted to close a circuit by line 81 to junction 88 and thence by line 89 to the other end of the secondary ll of the transformer arrangement. Thus, when the thermostat 85 has its switch member 85 closing the circuit through the thermostat 85, the coil circuit is closed and the coil 88 is energized. Upon energization, the movable core 90 normally constrained to its upper position shown by the spring means BI, is moved downwardly so that switch member contact 65 then contacts switch contact 8 5 and as long as this thermostat maintains a closed circuit, the coil 88 is energized and the switch contact carrying member 18 is maintained in the lowered position in opposition to the spring 8!. The circuit then is as follows:

Current is supplied through main 58, fuse BI, line 62, motor 45, line 63, contact .64, switch member 65, jumper 65, switch member 61, line 58 and main 85. Thus, the hall thermostat 85 when calling for ventilation secures motor operation independent of the attic thermostat 12.

In multiple with the hall thermostat 85 is a time-o-stat of conventional character and indicated by the numeral 92. One line 93 therefrom connects to junction 83. The other line 94 therefrom connects to junction 88. Thus, the time-ostat 52 is arranged to close and open the fan motor circuit whenever the mechanism thereof closes the circuit between lines 93 and 95 or opens said circuit, the same being independent of the hall thermostat 85.

The switch structure associated with a switch member it includes two other contacts 55 and 55, the same being positioned opposite contacts l5 and 54 so that when contact 55 is in engagement with contact 75, contact 5'7 is in engagement with contact Similarly, when contact 55 is in engagement with contact 85, contact 61 is in engagement with contact 55. This side of the switch, as it were, is for door motor operation.

This motor is the motor which insures door opening. A line 98 therefrom leads to and connects to the main 69 on the fuse protected side of the line as at 99. A line I55 from said door motor leads to a three-way standard limit control rotatable switch. This switch includes contact I8! and a pair of contacts H32 and H23 conventionally illustrated in Fig. 5. Contact I02 is connected by line I54 to the multiple switch contact 95. Contact 453 is connected by line I85 to the other contact 95 of the multiple switch I8. A line I55 is connected to line I58 as at I81 and to a signal lamp I58, the latter being connected by line 55 to the line 98 at IIG. Thus, whenever the motor 91 is energized, the signal I08 is energized, thereby visually indicating the operative condition of the said door motor circuit, it being understood that this control motor is posttioned in the attic at a convenient location and is operatively connected to the rod 39, as hereinafter will be described.

It will be noted that whenever the hall thermostat and/or the time-o-stat closes the coil circuit, that line I85 is connected to main 69 for energizing supply to the door motor and whenever the time-o-stat or hall thermostat opens the circuit, the line I54 is conditioned for supplying energy to the door motor 97. The switch arrangement IilI, I82 and I83 is of the character specified above and the door motor 91 is capable only of operating during one-fourth revolution of the three-way limit control rotatable switch even though the rotor of the motor operates for more than a single revolution, this being obtainable through a suitable reduction drive, not shown in Fig. 5, and member II2 rotates In the lower part of Fig. 5 immediately below the link 39, there. is illustrated the door motor 9'! and projecting beyond said motor and from a speed reducing arrangement therebeneath is a rotatable shaft II I which carries an arm I I2 and pivotally connected at one end of said arm as at H3 is a link ll i connected to the rod 39 in turn connected to the single-tree element 38, before mentioned.

It will be understood that the operation of this switch lfll-lllZ-IBB in conjunction with the hall thermostat and/or time-o-stat is as follows: When either closes the control circuit to the coil til, the door motor 91 is energized to cause the shaft l H of the speed reducing mechanism to rotate half a revolution and in so doing the single-tree 38 is moved from the position shown in Fig. 5 to a position downwardly thereof an amount necessary to open the doors 26. When the doors are opened and the arm H2 has rotated 180 or almost to that position, the energy to the motor 9'! is cut oil by arm H2 and the three-way switch llll, H32 and N13. The time-ostat, however, or the hall thermostat still maintains a closed coil circuit, but current cannot be supplied through this three-way switch l0| sci-nae, until the coil Bil is deenergized and the switch contact carrying member is returned by the spring ill to the position shown in Fig. 5. Then current flows to the door motor by line I04.

When the hall thermostat 85 opens the coil circuit or the time-o-stat opens the coil circuit, the coil is deenergized and switch member 10 returns to the position shown by the full lines in Fig. 5. Then and then only is the line I04 supplied with energy, and then and then only is the motor supplied the energy, and it is operated to then return the arm H2 to the position as shown in Fig. 5, permitting the doors to close.

Adjacent the time-o-stat and hall thermostat, which may conventionally be placed adjacent each other for convenience in wiring, there may be mounted the door motor signal Hi8 and fan motor signal I28. This signal W6 is connected by line l2] to the line 62 and is connected by line I22 to the line 93 as shown. Thus, signal Hi8 always indicates when the door motor is energized and signal i252 adjacent thereto always indicates when the fan motor is energized.

It will be apparent, therefore, that the attic thermostat 72 can operate and energize the fan motor 45 independently of the hall thermostat and/or time-o-stat and that the hall thermostat and/or time-o-stat can operate independently of the attic thermostat but when so operated either of these multiple hall controls in turn controls the door motor and secures energization of the fan motor as well.

While herein there is disclosed a particular form of fan means, it is to be understood that other forms of air moving means such as a blower or blowers, or a suction fan, or fans, can be employed as required by each particular installation. The term fan means as used in the claims is intended to include the specific form disclosed herein as well as any one of the aforesaid equivalents.

It is to be further noted that operating signals 08 and 120, and the connecting wiring thereto, may be eliminated if this means of signalling is not desired, and in lieu thereof may be substituted one non-operative signal, wired in conjunction with a simple three-way switch, both signal and switch being cut into line 68 so as to signal when on one position of the switch and to not signal when on the second position of the switch, yet conduct the current required for all operative conditions.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character.

The several modifications described herein as well as others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all are considered to be Within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a multifioor building structure having a ventilated upper story, and a lower floor communicating therewith, the combination of door means controlling the communication, compartment fully enclosed within the upper story and having openings adjacent opposite ends, said openings being laterally offset relative to each other and diagonally positioned in the compartment and lying in substantially parallel planes and oppositely directed, one opening registering with the communication and controlled by said door means, the other opening communicating at all times with the interior of the upper story, fan means in the compartment immediately adjacent the compartment said other opening, means for operating the door means for selective ventilation of the upper story or the lower floor and upper story, and means for operating said fan whenever any ventilation is required said compartment having a third opening juxtapositioned to the door means and arranged for closure by the same for upper and lower floor ventilation and arranged for compartment communication with the upper story when said door means closes the first mentioned offset opening for upper story ventilation only.

2. A structure as defined by claim 1, characterized by the addition of a thermally responsive control in the upper story for the fan means for upper stor ventilation only.

3. A structure as defined by claim 1, characterized by the addition of a thermally responsive control in the lower story for the fan means for lower story ventilation through the upper story.

4. A structure as defined by claim 1, characterized by the addition of dual, thermally responsive, control means for said fan means, one thermally responsive control means being in the upper story and responsive to thermal conditions therein, and another thermally responsive control means being in the lower story and responsive to thermal conditions therein, said door operating means being responsive to one of said thermally responsive control means.

5. A structure as defined by claim 1, characterized by a time operable control for simultaneously operating the fan means and the door controlling means.

6. A structure as defined by claim 1, characterized by the addition of a time operable control for simultaneously controlling the fan means and the door operating means, thermally responsive means in the upper story, and thermally responsive means in the lower story, one of said thermally responsive means controlling said fan means independent of the door operating means and the other thermally responsive means simultaneously controlling the fan means and the door controlling means.

7. In a ventilating system of the character described, a compartment having the adjacent opposite ends laterally oifset and diagonally posidoor means controlling the other and diagonally opposite opening, door operating means of cyclically operable character and including a unidirectional motor, switch means for the motor, and branch circuits for the motor, said switch means controlling said branch circuits, the branch circuits being selectively energized for door means opening and closing, and automatically conditionable upon the door means attaining one of the open or closed positions for opening one branch circuit and closing the other branch circuit thereby conditioning the latter for subsequent operation for subsequent door means movement to the other position vice versa.

3. In a ventilating system of the character described, a compartment having the adjacent opposite ends laterally offset and diagonally positioned oppositely directed openings, the planes thereof being substantially parallel, fan means adjacent one opening and in the compartment, door means controlling the other and diagonally opposite opening, the door means being a pair of doors positionable within the compartment and movable from the door controlled opening away from each other into position adjacent opposite walls of the compartment for opening the door controlled opening.

9. In a ventilating system of the character described, a compartment having the adjacent opposite ends laterally offset and diagonally positioned oppositely directed openings, the planes thereof being substantially parallel, fan means adjacent one opening and in the compartment, door means controlling the other and diagonally opposite opening, the door means being a pair of doors positionable within the compartment and movable from the door controlled opening away from each other into position adjacent opposite walls of the compartment for opening the door controlled opening, and resilient means carried by the compartment engageable by the doors when in fully open position and normally constraining the doors toward the door closing position.

10. In a ventilating system of the character described, a compartment having openings adjacent opposite ends, said openings being laterally offset relative to each other and diagonally positioned in the compartment and lying in substantially parallel planes and oppositely directed, fan means adjacent one opening and in the compartment, and multiple door means controlling the other and diagonally opposite opening, each door means closing half of said last mentioned opening said compartment having an opening adjacent each of said door means and the door means controlled opening and controlled by the adjacent door means, there being as many individual door means as there are third mentioned openings.

11. A system as defined by claim 10, characterized by said door means being normally constrained toward the said other and diagonally opposite opening closing position, and by the addition of door control means arranged to open and hold open each of said door means with reference to said other and diagonally opposite opening and for simultaneous door closing of the third mentioned openings.

12. In a multifloor building structure having an upper story having an opening exposed to the atmosphere for atmospheric communication, and a lower floor having an opening to the upper story for communication therewith, and door means controlling said opening, the combination of a compartment entirely within the upper story and having an intake opening at one end registering with the lower floor opening and an outlet opening at the other end and discharging upwardly into the upper story and communicating at all times with the interior of the upper story for compartment outlet purposes and upper story circulation purposes, fan means in the compartment immediately adjacent the outlet opening thereof, an electric motor for the fan means, said compartment having, remote from the fan means, a second intake opening immediately adjacent the registering openings and juxtapositioned to said door means, means for operating said door means for selective association with the registering openings and the second intake opening, upper floor ventilation occurring through the second intake opening, the compartment, and the outlet opening thereof when the fan means is operated and the door means closes the registering openings, the resulting upper floor circulation effecting upper floor ventilation by reason of the upper story atmospheric communicating opening, lower floor ventilation occurring when the fan means is operated and the door means substantially closes the second intake opening and opens the registering openings, dual, thermally responsive, circuit means for said motor, each of the dual means being arranged to secure fan operation, one thermally responsive means having a portion located in the upper story and responsive to thermal conditions therein, the other thermally responsive means having a portion located in the lower story and responsive to the thermal conditions therein, said door operating means being electrically operable and responsive to one of said thermally responsive control circuit means for proper association of the door means for selective ventilation determinable by selective association of said door means, the other of the dual, thermally responsive circuit means controlling said fan means motor independently of the door operating means circuit control means.

EUGENE S. KEMMER. JOHN E, TI'I'US. WILLIAM K. OYLER, 

